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Abstract

Gray matter/brain volume loss has been reported in heart failure (HF), yet the underlying etiology of these neural changes is unknown. Hypoxia or perfusion changes associated with sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), present in a majority of HF pts, may contribute. However, the association between HF gray matter loss and SDB is unclear.

Conclusion: While all HF pts had gray matter volume loss relative to controls, the extent of loss was associated with the level of SDB in this small sample of advanced HF pts. Longitudinal studies with larger sample sizes are needed to determine whether there are causative links between SDB and gray matter volume changes in this high-risk patient population.